U.S. officials say they have convincing evidence of Iraq´s continued
efforts to build weapons of mass destruction in the form of
communications intercepts that depict transactions with foreign
suppliers of Baghdad´s secret program, but that no decision has yet
been made about whether or how to make it public.

"What we have got in hand are a whole series of money transfers and
contracts all relating to efforts to build nuclear, biological or
chemical weapons," a former senior U.S. intelligence official told
United Press International.

Records include Iraqi deposits to Swiss and Persian Gulf bank
accounts, dealings with Swedish and German manufacturers, Dubai and
Jordanian front companies, Chinese companies, contracts with South
African technological firms, and invoices of materials including
ingredients for biological and chemical weapons, this source said.

So far, none of that evidence has surfaced in the 12,000-page Iraqi
weapons of mass destruction declaration made to the United Nations on
Dec. 8, these U.S. intelligence analysts said.

The dossier was ordered by the U.N. Security Council as part of
Resolution 1441 demanding that Iraq disarm or face serious
consequences.

The intercepts held by U.S. intelligence also deal with
communications between Iraqi clandestine sites for enriching uranium
and "other sites," said the former senior U.S. intelligence official.

The Iraqis have declared they have no weapons of mass destruction,
and "the Iraqis have lied," a State Department official said.

Under the terms of Resolution 1441, passed on Nov. 8, omissions or
false statements in the declaration, coupled with any failure to
comply with inspections, constitutes a material breach of Iraq´s
obligations and would result in unspecified "serious consequences"
for Baghdad.